Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/10/27

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Subject: [Leica] A NEW BEGINNING! :-)
From: r.s.taylor at comcast.net (Richard S. Taylor)
Date: Thu Oct 27 09:22:33 2005
References: <BB5B7BF0-1C9C-4481-BCC2-B92537ED2939@mindspring.com> <6.2.1.2.0.20051025223405.1f9f4db0@imap.duke.edu> <002e01c5d9dd$9e68b830$1ae76c18@ted> <p06230906bf8546215792@[131.142.12.152]> <002f01c5da68$2f192c40$1ae76c18@ted>

Ted - Thanks again for the detailed notes.  No rebuttal here - just a 
couple of comments in response.

(snip)

You commented:

>2: I tried cropping some off the right side almost half way through 
>the arch making it a vertical and it seemed to strengthen the feel 
>and look, rather than a near square composition. And it eliminated 
>the far right arch support hanging too close to the edge.
>
>It isn't as good as N0.1 because in that case there's direct eye 
>contact to the statue and not just a person standing on a light "X" 
>marks the spot of light at her feet gazing into a void. Now that's 
>not saying she isn't looking at something... it's just how it looks, 
>certainly when you ompare it to No.1 that's right on the mark.

This one actually is a strong vertical as posted.  I cropped it as 
shown because I wanted to keep the complete cross of light at her 
feet and the two angular light bars pointing towards her.  I had 
hoped that her intense concentration on her audio guide would come 
through on her face and make the shot, but it sounds like it didn't.

>3: Nice light but it looks like you said.... "go stand over there" 
>click! Absolutely static. Like she might as well have been a statue. 
>What about a moment when she at least took a drink of her 
>MacDonald's coffee mug? Or her head uplifted to catch a few rays on 
>the face? A nice kind of sunlit profile. OK so maybe she's a 
>complete stranger, as I suppose she was..... but it's called ___ see 
>the possibility and wait!___
>

Understood.  Earlier I did post an alternate with her head tilted 
slightly upward but the comments I got back were that the overall 
composition was not as effective.  Here's the alternate.

http://gallery.leica-users.org/NYC/06_01_0176_alt_crop2b_web

>
>4: Nit picking comment first.... "you didn't hold the camera 
>straight!" This kind of point as nit picking as it is, actually does 
>make one a better photographer in handling their equipment. Why? 
>Because it means in the future when shooting we do observe how we 
>hold the camera and make corrections before we press the shutter 
>release. True!

Yes, yes, yes!!!!   I am so bugged by sloping horizons and canting 
verticals I don't know how I missed the tilt here and in the photo 
later on.  Part of the problem is that since I am 6'5 I often tilt 
the camera down to shoot without thinking.  I have to remember not to 
do that - and not to rotate it either. Thanks for the reminder.

(snip)

>8:  And you did it again!  You didn't hold the camera straight! look 
>at the stone work and the far side and you didn't line up the 
>vertical lines when composing . Which you obviously did here using 
>the wall as a lead into the people.
>

(snip)

>If I have a bit of a question it's the people feel a little tight to 
>the right hand border line. Not only that I felt it "might have been 
>better if you'd changed the angle slightly so they were more to the 
>left side and your camera showed more of what's missing to the right?
>
>Now remember I wasn't there, so this is merely a thought. I imagine 
>if it had of made a solid photograph you'd have shot it in both 
>fashions. Right? ;-)

Somebody's fanny intruded and was cropped out.  I feel the people are 
too far to the right, too.  I did get one vertical shot of the near 
gal before she moved but didn't feel it was as strong a composition 
as the one I posted, but maybe it does work:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/NYC/04_09_0296_web

(snip)

>I trust this has been helpful and if people feel it is I'll 
>endeavour to do some again along similar lines. On the other hand if 
>it was a pointless exercise on my part so be it, as I can easily 
>hang-up the key board without any bad feelings. Besides I'm a pic & 
>pic two finger typer.
>
>ted
>

It certainly has been helpful Ted.  Anytime you feel like sending bad 
news, or good, my way just hop on the opportunity.
-- 
Regards,

Dick

In reply to: Message from ricc at mindspring.com (Ric Carter) ([Leica] NC State Fair)
Message from aaron.sandler at duke.edu (Aaron Sandler) ([Leica] NC State Fair)
Message from tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant) ([Leica] NC State Fair AND A NEW BEGINNING!)
Message from r.s.taylor at comcast.net (Richard S. Taylor) ([Leica] NC State Fair AND A NEW BEGINNING!)
Message from tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant) ([Leica] A NEW BEGINNING! :-))